Coral reefs certainly don’t get the interest and protection they deserve. That's why we've created this officially endorsed Ocean Decade Toolkit providing key facts, imagery and other tools needed to help create awareness and inspire action.

The world's most valuable and vulnerable ecosystem

Coral reefs are vital nurseries for the world's fish stocks.

Coral Reefs = Fish

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Across the world, coral reefs support more species than any other marine environment. In fact, more than 4,000 species of fish can be found throughout reef ecosystems. This is because reef structures give fish plenty of nooks and crannies to hide from predators, find food sources, reproduce and nurture their young. They are the critically important nurseries for global fish stocks.

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Coral reefs are the most biodiverse ecosystem on the planet.

Coral Reefs = Countless Species

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Coral reefs are one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth. In fact, coral reefs are like underwater megacities. Scientists estimate that over 800,000 species call reefs home, but it is hard to know exactly since 91% of marine species remain undescribed. Overall, these vital ecosystems are home to more than 25% of marine life — and yet they only cover less than 1% of the ocean floor.

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Not just islands and beaches, but entire countries were created by coral reefs.

Coral Reefs = Tropical Islands & Beaches

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To create an island is no easy task, yet tiny corals don’t just create islands — they can create countries. These countries, such as Maldives and Palau, are dependent on the living coral reefs that created them. If the reefs die, there are no corals to naturally repair the islands, and they can start eroding and disappearing back into the sea.    

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Endangered species ranging from corals to turtles depend on reefs.

Coral Reefs = Survival

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The importance of coral reefs to the health of the ocean cannot be overstated. Corals are a foundation species supporting a million or more other species. Many species are entirely dependent on coral reefs for survival, as they are their sole source of food. There are many iconic endangered species, such as loggerhead and hawksbill turtles, that rely on coral reefs, and there is an increasing number of corals now that are now listed as endangered.

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Reefs act as a first line of defense against storm surges, flooding and coastal erosion.

Coral Reefs = Protection

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Coastal communities also rely on coral reefs to protect their terrestrial habitats. Reefs act as a barrier against storm surges, erosion and flooding by significantly reducing wave energy — one study even showed corals to cut a wave’s energy by up to 97%.

This natural line of defense is especially important for coastal inhabitants in developing countries, as many don’t have the resources to quickly rebuild after catastrophic storms. And it will become increasingly valuable in coming years as climate change brings about more intense weather events.

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Coral reefs contribute billions of dollars to the global economy per year.

Coral Reefs = Wealth

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With more than 1 billion people relying on coral reefs as a source of protein and income, you can imagine how valuable this ecosystem is. Coral reef tourism alone brings in $36 billion annually, and fisheries contribute another $100 billion to the global economy each year. 

As more restoration work is done to improve the health and abundance of coral reefs, the more economic value they can contribute. One report estimated tens of billions of dollars could be unlocked through coral restoration and conservation.

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Corals are excellent at repopulating surrounding areas through mass spawning events.

Coral Reefs = Coral Reefs

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Healthy coral reefs are incredible at repopulating surrounding reefs. They do this through mass spawning events. This is why some reefs can bounce back relatively quickly after major impacts such as storms or underwater heat waves — larvae from neighboring reefs that survived the event can reseed the damaged reef if the conditions allow.

Some reefs are more resilient than others, and scientists are working on solutions to connect these “super reefs” to declining reefs that need re-seeding. 

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Download and use free photos and video from our Ocean Image Bank

The 7 main reasons why coral reefs are so important…

Climate change is the biggest threat to coral reefs. It’s killing corals through underwater heat waves, the impacts of more intense storms, and acidification of the ocean, which reduce the coral's ability to grow its skeleton structure.  

Underwater heat waves cause coral bleaching events that are becoming increasingly common. The heat stress causes the algae that corals grow in their flesh to become toxic. The corals will then expel the toxic algae, turning bone white.

Many corals rely on this algae for food, so if water temperatures do not return to normal within a reasonable amount of time for the algae to grow back, the corals can starve and die.

Between 2009 and 2018, we lost about 14% of coral worldwide, mostly due to recurring, large-scale bleaching. Although the last few years haven’t seen as severe and frequent bleaching events, the UN Environment Programme predicts global bleaching events may become the norm over the next few decades as climate change worsens.

Climate change is making the ocean too warm and acidic for corals

Practices such as dynamite fishing, deep-water trawling, and cyanide fishing (in which people spray or dump cyanide to stun fish and capture them live) damage reef structures and kill much more than the fish that are being targeted. More than 40 countries use blast fishing methods, and about 15 have reported the use of cyanide. What’s more, many of the remote communities employing these practices are actively destroying their fisheries, which poses great threats to their main source of food and income.

With industrial fishing, in addition to the significant amounts of bycatch and damage that can result from dropping anchor onto reefs, fishing nets and other gear are often discarded and left floating through the ocean. This debris, known as “ghost fishing” gear, can entangle marine life from turtles to sharks to corals that are forced to break off from their reefs.

We’re destroying reefs with destructive fishing gear and techniques

Overfishing has been estimated to affect more than 55% of the world’s reefs. Each reef-dwelling species plays a unique and important role in the ocean food chain. This means that when one animal starts to disappear, it can throw the whole reef ecosystem off balance. 

For example, when herbivores, such as parrotfish and sea urchins, are eradicated, it gives plants like algae the chance to grow without predation, which can threaten reefs. When too many sharks are taken, the number of smaller predators grows, and they eat the smaller creatures that keep the reef healthy.   

We’re taking too many fish needed to keep reefs healthy

Approximately half of the world’s population lives within 200 kilometers of a coastline. The growth of these coastal cities has generated severe threats to coral reefs around the world in multiple ways: Land development and sedimentation have caused major stress for reefs by affecting water quality and smothering corals, interfering with their ability to grow, eat and reproduce. Land development has also altered the natural flow of water, further contributing to increased nutrients or sedimentation. Occasionally, where space is limited, development has even caused reefs to be dredged or built over. In addition, pathogens from inadequately treated sewage and stormwater can cause disease in corals.

We’re developing land near and on reefs

Coral reefs need clean water to thrive. Urban and agricultural runoff present unique threats to shallow-water coral reefs that are located near coastlines. Sediment, toxins, chemicals, insecticides, oil, and other debris can wash from the shore to the sea, throwing off nutrient levels, blocking light, and prompting the overgrowth of algae and phytoplankton. This affects corals’ ability to reproduce and feed, and can even smother corals if the overgrowth is too severe.

We’ve polluted and muddied the water

A lesser but still prevalent threat to reef ecosystems is that wild corals and reef fish are routinely harvested for the aquarium trade and to create jewelry and other souvenirs. The majority of aquariums are stocked with wild-caught species, and in the mid-1990s, the U.S. accounted for about 80% of the global live coral trade. 

Unfortunately, imports have only risen since then, creating a loss of biodiversity on natural reefs. But there are a number of organizations working to prevent the import of items made from endangered corals, including the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

We’re harvesting coral and using it as decoration

What's being done to save coral reefs?

What have we gone and done to coral reefs?

One main way governments can get involved in coral reef restoration is by designating parts of their national waters as marine protected areas, or MPAs. These areas are often designated no-take zones, which means that fishing, drilling, and other harmful practices are outlawed. Some areas have gone a step further to ban tourism altogether. This ensures the species within the MPA have limited stressors and, thus, the best chance to thrive. Here are a couple of examples:

In 2020, Seychelles confirmed the proposals of 13 new MPAs that would, in total, cover more than 410,000 square kilometers. With these additions, over 30% of Seychellois waters are now designated as protected areas. Previously, Seychelles had signed an unprecedented “debt-for-conservation” deal with The Nature Conservancy, wherein TNC agreed to help alleviate a portion of the country’s sovereign debt as long as part of the funds were allocated to funding MPAs and other conservation projects.

More than 20 NGOs, universities, foundations, and other organizations have come together to form the Blue Prosperity Coalition, which assists in the creation of effective marine conservation areas across the world. The group works with governments to highlight the economic importance of healthy seas, offering technical expertise and helping to plan and implement new MPAs. 

We're prioritizing protecting coral reefs around the world.

Although reefs can bounce back on their own in optimal conditions, people around the world are giving them a boost by conducting reef restoration projects. With many different restoration techniques available, a recent report outlines the best practices of coral restoration to assist managers and decision-makers in considering whether and how to use coral reef restoration. Here are a couple of examples of coral restoration:

Organizations across the world are working on coral restoration projects that include growing and outplanting fragments, but few have been as successful as the Mars Assisted Reef Restoration System (MARRS). This program identifies heavily degraded reefs that more resemble piles of rubble than ocean ecosystems and collaborates with local communities to return them to biodiverse habitats. MARRS works by attaching sustainably collected coral fragments to hexagonal structures called Reef Stars. The structures are coated with resin and coral sand to make them enticing for corals and other animals to settle on. To date, the program has rebuilt over 40,000 square meters of reefs that’s resulted in a twelvefold increase in coral cover and a threefold increase in fish populations.

SECORE International is working on advanced lab-based coral restoration. Through its breeding programs, the organization is able to grow thousands of baby corals each year that can repopulate reefs. SECORE is also working on engineering-focused solutions, developing new technologies and methodologies for large-scale restoration that have been shown to stabilize coral colonies at a significantly reduced cost compared to other widely used methods.

We're finding more and more efficient ways of restoring coral reefs.

Advances in science and monitoring technology are allowing researchers to make strides toward reef conservation. Here are a few examples of organizations advancing ocean science to aid reefs:

Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) was established by the International Coral Reef Initiative and consists of a global network of researchers to provide the best available scientific information on the health of coral reefs. GCRMN has produced a range of global, regional, and thematic reports on coral reef status and trends that have aided in better conservation and management practices. The latest Status of Corals of the World report is now available.

The Allen Coral Atlas is a global database of reefs that is intended to better inform reef management, conservation, and research. Along with mapping the reefs, the Atlas is beta-testing monitoring capabilities, incorporating water temperature from NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch to identify possible bleaching events.

The 100 Island Challenge, created in partnership with Scripps Institution of Oceanography, aims to catalog the variation of coral species in various regions worldwide. Using traditional survey methods as well as advanced imaging and other technologies, the 100 Island Challenge is creating a baseline perspective on coral reef health and eventually intends to monitor how reef populations change over time.

ReefCloud is a platform that any diver or ocean enthusiast can contribute to. It relies on citizen scientists to submit photos of reefs and associated data such as location, date, and depth the photos were taken. The program’s machine learning algorithms are able to analyze the submitted images and extract data points such as coral cover and reef composition.

We're using cutting-edge science to study and protect coral reefs.

Coral reefs have been around for a very long time. Although they are extremely vulnerable to sudden environmental change, (they are more vulnerable to climate change than any other global ecosystem), ultimately they find a way to bounce back from extinction events sometimes in a completely new form. The trouble is, this process can take millions of years.

Coral reefs have been around for half a billion years

The fact that corals have been evolving for such a long time has made them one of the most incredible creatures on the planet. Not only can they clone themselves to reproduce and never age, they can grow their own food in their flesh and turn water into limestone (creating giant megacities that dwarf human cities). Some scientists even claim they can influence the climate by creating their own clouds.

Coral reefs are built by one of the most amazing creatures on the planet.

Coral reefs are sometimes called the “medicine cabinets of the 21st century.” Over centuries, corals have evolved a number of chemical defenses, many of which may contain important medicinal properties for humans. In the future, medicines derived from coral reefs could be used as nutritional supplements and to treat ailments including cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, viruses, and more. Scientists have even estimated that the likelihood of finding a new medicine in the ocean is 300 to 400 times higher than the chance of finding one on land.

Coral reefs are a source of life-saving medicines.

You don’t need to know much more about coral reefs…

…but we think you might like to.

Life Below Water: Status of Coral Reefs of the World Data Summary | UN Environment Programme

The Coral Reef Economy | UN Environment Programme

Coral Reef Restoration: A Guide to Coral Restoration Methods | UN Environment Programme

International Coral Reef Initiative (IRCI)

Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN)

Nature is Speaking - Ian Somerhalder is a Coral Reef | Conservation International

Underwater Architects - The priceless nature of coral reefs | UN Environment Programme 

The Value of Coral Reefs & Healthy Coral Reef Indicators | ICRI (available in multiple languages) 

The Great Barrier Reef | ICRI & Queensland Government 

How Does Fishing Threaten Coral Reefs? | NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program

What is coral bleaching? | Australian Academy of Science 

Dr. Ove Hoegh-Guldberg | University of Queensland

Dr. Stephen Palumbi | Stanford University

Imagery provided by Ocean Image Bank photographers: Alex Mustard, Ariph Rasheed, Brook Peterson, David P. Robinson, Erik Lukas, Fabrice Dudenhofer, Gabirel Barathieu, Grant Thomas, Gregory Piper, Hannes Klostermann, Jayne Jenkins, Kimberly Jeffries, Matt Curnock, The Ocean Agency, Tom Vierus, and Umeed Mistry.

A toolkit to help raise awareness of coral reefs — the ocean’s megacities. Use it to help inspire coral reef protection and restoration.